1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the conversion or transfer of energy and more particularly to the conversion or transfer of heat.
Even more particularly, the invention relates to an arrangement wherein pressure cycles are created in a chamber containing a liquid, by heating the liquid and causing evaporation thereof, such pressure cycles being used as a driving force for the liquid or for a mechanical device. Still more particularly the invention relates to an arrangement for the transfer of heat from an upper level to a lower level by means of the pressure generated by evaporation of the liquid at the upper level.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In my U.S. patent application 708,071 filed on July 23, 1976 I described a system for taking advantage of the inertia of a fluid which has been heated in a solar energy collector and caused to flow to a place of use only by the energy it has acquired from the collector. The inertia due to the flow of the fluid causes a negative pressure down current of the flow thus inducing the ingress of fresh cool fluid into the system where it is heated and again caused to flow to the place of use. This system is adequate and practical; however, for transferring larger amounts of heat between very spaced apart locations positioned at notably different levels I have found that another simpler system is possible and even preferable and which does not rely on the inertia of the flow of fluid for its operation. In this new simpler system the speed of flow of the fluid is less smaller than in the system described in my above mentioned patent application and therefore losses due to friction are reduced.
By providing various systems, based on different principles of operation, industry will be in a better position to select the most adequate for a certain purpose.
The arrangement of the present invention is particularly but not exclusively suited for use in combination with a solar energy collecting panel which is generally placed on the roof of a building, for transferring the collected energy from the panel to a lower level within the building.